FROM THIS EPISODE

On today’s DnA, architecture of air, and of aluminum. David Weinberg tells the story of the bubble houses that Wallace Neff dreamed would solve a housing crisis. Neil Denari talks about his futuristic architecture and the music that has inspired it with Eric J. Lawrence.

Banner image: New Keelung Harbor Service Project, won by NMDA in September, 2012; Aerial view from the northeast, in rendering by NMDA

One of the founding builders of Los Angeles was Wallace Neff, an architect based in Pasadena who built houses for LA's rich and famous in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. But he envisioned housing thousands of less affluent people in spherical buildings made of concrete and air. David Weinberg tells the story of the bubble house dream that burst.

Another – contemporary – architect with dreams of changing the world is Neil Denari. He is an educator, writer and creator of buildings. Denari was one of the pioneers of applying computers to architecture – not just the process of design, but metaphorically.

He talked to DJ Eric J Lawrence about the music that has inspired his architecture for KCRW's Guest DJ project. Listen to Neil talk about songs and pieces of music as varied as the Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft," Brian Eno's "Kurt's Rejoinder," Glen Branca's "2nd Movement, Symphony No. 5," Lee Ranaldo's "The Bridge" and Suicide's "Keep Your Dreams" (from the First Album).